As a financial coach, I often work with folks who are in the accumulation/growth phase of planning for retirement (i.e., 5 to 10 years or more away). Sometimes I come across someone who has either: 1) received a recommendation from their stock broker or insurance salesperson to purchase a fixed-rate, indexed, or variable annuity product … Read more
Generosity is part of this blog’s tagline: “helping you to save diligently, invest wisely, give generously, and live abundantly.” Generosity is of great importance during all stages of life, but according to the data, we Christians aren’t nearly as generous with our money as you might think. I recently looked through a six-week study book … Read more
My wife and I are both closing in on Medicare eligibility at age 65. So, I thought it was time to take a hard look at it so that we can make the right decisions at the right time. In this article, I will share what I’ve learned so far. Our situation is similar to many … Read more
Your medical insurance choices will depend greatly on whether you are young and a long way from retirement, an “early” retiree and a few years away from Medicare eligibility, or 65 or older and eligible for Medicare. In this article, I discuss the medical insurance options that younger people and “early retirees” may consider. In … Read more
In this second of three articles about the most important financial decisions that affect retirement stewardship, I discuss the car purchase decision and also some general lifestyle areas. The first article in the series dealt with the all-important house purchase decision. As with housing, when you spend more than you can afford for major items, … Read more
I think it was Ben Stein who, when asked about the key to financial success in life, replied, “one dog, one house, one wife.” You may see the wisdom (and wit) in that, but it may not be quite that simple. We make financial decisions almost every day – most are minor, and some are … Read more
It’s no secret that money can become a challenge when you enter retirement. Many people, understandably, focus mainly on the income side of things – how to save enough before retirement and then generate enough income to pay the bills while in retirement. This is important, but equally (or perhaps more) important is keeping expenses … Read more
I wrote an earlier article giving some reasons why I like Dave Ramsey. Fact is, a lot of people like Dave (and especially what he teaches). But despite his influence and popularity, Dave also takes a lot of heat from some people. I guess that’s to be expected. It doesn’t seem to bother him; in … Read more
Before I get into the reasons why I like Dave, take a look at the picture of me taken with him at his offices in Nashville. (I’m the bald-headed guy.) Notice that I put my hand on his shoulder, but his are in his pockets? That’s because I’m a “wanna be.” (By the way, as … Read more
